The present invention relates to a matrix printer with a back and forth movable carriage on which is mounted a printing head which, in turn, is movable against the force of a spring in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the carriage.
The printer head of a matrix printer is usually equipped with a plurality of printing needles whose front ends or tips are arranged in a vertical column or in a staggered relationship. The rear ends of the needles are provided with electromagnetic drives whose activation causes the particular printing needle to be propelled forward. Since the lifting stroke of such a needle is very small, it is necessary to guide the head across the sheet to be printed on in rather accurate fashion. The British Pat. No. 894,276 describes a printing head in which the head as well as the ink ribbon slide across the paper. However, the matrix printers as they are known today have, for example, a roller at the printer head which rolls on the sheet of paper to be printed on, or upon an additional, foil-like intermediate layer in order to avoid that the roller makes marks on the paper. It is also known to provide the printer with means for breaking the sheet.